Repository logo
 

Glamping as a Gestalten Phenomena: The Perspectives of Glamping Insiders Using Q-methodology and Comparative Analysis

Files

Thesis is embargoed until 30 November 2025(108.69 MB)

Date

2023

Authors

Supervisor

Bremner, Hamish
Schänzel, Heike

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Doctor of Philosophy

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

Glamping, a portmanteau blending the words ‘glamorous’ and ‘camping’, has created considerable interest and, as a form of tourism, experienced exceptional growth. Accompanied by a constant recasting of its imagery and an increasing augmentation of its core attributes, most of what is known about glamping is derived from scattered descriptions and industry marketing. Academic studies are narrowly contextualised, fragmented, and regionally focused. While various studies investigate aspects concerning financial growth, physical staging, and localised manifestations, scant research investigates what makes glamping what it is and not merely a reimagination of something else. This study contributes to the holistic meaning and understanding of glamping through the subjective perspectives of the cohorts interacting with the phenomenon. The subjective views of insiders are considered crucial in discerning authentic understandings of ‘what it means to go glamping’. It investigates the phenomenon through the representations and depictions that glampers and glamping-entrepreneurs cognise. Specifically, it examines their thoughts and opinions regarding the occurrences of glamping-space and glamping-experience that make glamping an idiosyncratic touristic type. The research design uses inductive processes to develop theory through Q-Methodology, which examines people’s subjectivities. It is notable for inverting the traditional roles of research characteristics (variables) and participant sample (termed contributors in this research). Q-Methodology is a hybridised approach enabling factor-analysis to be applied to qualitatively obtained data. Using a Q-Sorting process, purposeful/strategic sampling is used to acquire contributors who furnish insightful knowledge from data collection. Photographic images (expressions) taken from glamping-entrepreneur websites are used as the research artefacts within the research instrument. The subsequent, Q-technique factor analysis looks for correlations between views across contributors to discern groups of shared perspectives. Criteria delineated in Lincoln and Guba’s goodness framework are used as the basis of substantiation as good research and forms an essential analytical framework in the study. Within the framework, the analysis utilises a dyadic comparative Q-Methodology process demonstrating concordance between the views and understandings of glamper and glamping-entrepreneur cohorts. Triangulation with data obtained from contributors completing a DAG (demographic/attitudinal/glamping) questionnaire provides further substantiation. Together the two investigative streams provide thick descriptions, possessing depth and breadth, regarding glamping. The study furnishes two significant and original research deliverables. Firstly, it identifies a conceptual framework about glamping that focuses on depictions associated with its manifestation. Five depiction categories are discerned: material, outdoor, luxury, typological, and congruence. Each of these occurs in distinct ways within the shared perspectives of contributors. Secondly, the research determines five groups of shared perspectives or typologies: comfortable-campers, active-nature-minimalists, glamorous-venturers, cosseted-traditionalists and unwinding-bathers. Each of these typologies engages with glamping in a holistic fashion, considered a gestalt. These gestalts contribute to theoretical meanings attributed to glamping and catalyse further holistic research.

Description

Keywords

Source

DOI

Publisher's version

Rights statement

Permanent link

http://hdl.handle.net/10292/17610

Collections

Doctoral Theses